I realize that ripping the DMV in the most humorous manner possible is a universally satisfying experience, but I can’t say I’ve had anything resembling the author’s alleged nightmare. I lived in NYS for almost 5 decades. They made great strides in efficiency, convenience, and friendliness. (In comedy, such jokes are “evergreen,” like rubber chickens.) We moved to MA a couple of years ago, and it was a more jarring, less personal experience going to the DMV.
It’s probably not fair to compare the two offices: Worcester County, MA has a much larger population than does Tompkins County, NY. But in both cases it seems like your attitude approaching the experience makes a great deal of difference. If you go anywhere expecting a confrontation you will likely find one. I’ve never had a problem in either place. I try to be polite and friendly, and let them know I appreciate their help and expertise in shepherding me through what can be a bewildering set of regulations. The result is that I rarely leave with a bad taste in my mouth or a joke to tell about the DMV. No doubt, some of their rules are incomprehensible, but odds are the person you deal with at the counter didn’t write the rule. You can call it naive, but I find if you treat people decently they reciprocate.
That’s been my experience as well. Treat the counter clerk like a human being and your experience is generally pretty painless. Choosing what time you go in wisely is the other half of the equation.